Channel your inner diva at Isabelle’s Piano, an unusual cafe in the middle of a Bangkok mall where you can have your grand opera dreams come true, or as close to true as you’re probably ever going to get.
https://youtu.be/n4ekcVkwEv4
Isabelle’s Piano, in Asoke’s Times Square mall, is an open air cafe with a stage set in the center atrium of the mall. On that stage is a grand piano, a smiley pianist, a book of songs, and anyone that doesn’t mind their singing echoing through an entire mall.
If the singer is good, it can add an interesting — if loud — element to any trip to this small mall. If the singer is bad — and trust me, there are many — it makes you want to finish your errands and leave as soon as possible since the singing can be heard in every corner of the building.
Amazingly, the pianist — whose songbook includes titles in Thai and English — can accompany you on trumpet and flute as well as the ivories.
Isabelle’s is also a full service cafe where you can dine on chicken cordon bleu (THB420) (US$13) while your friends and family embarrass themselves, or munch on spicy Shanghai noodle salad (THB200) (US$5.80) while you listen to the song stylings of strangers with dubious talent.
Thankfully, they also have booze, which should make the experience better for everyone. A Singha will set you back THB90 (US$2.86) and a Singapore Sling will dull the sound of the screeching for just THB190 (US$6).
If that’s out of your budget, we’ve heard there’s a cheaper version in the food court of the Big C Lad Phrao mall, but you just get to sing along to a keyboard while people eat THB30 (US$1) krapow.
FIND IT:
Times Square Building (Ground Floor)
246 Sukhumvit Road
Open daily, 9am-10pm
BTS Asoke
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